Chapter 1

I'd been shot on Saturday afternoon, flown home on Sunday. Weena's (and Patrick's) TV debut had been on Sunday evening ... an unusual appearance for Sue. But Rob had protected me from the phone, though he kept good notes. He told callers that I was "resting comfortably." I knew that Monday morning would be chaos.

Weena rebandaged my arm after she got home, put Patrick to bed and then us. I just held her and felt her tension dissipate.

Monday morning the phone exploded again. I told Weena that we'd have to pay Rob whatever the answering service got plus "danger pay." She decided that (a) I was staying home and (b) she would, too, "so you've experienced nursing, dear." Patrick wanted to know if my "owie" was "all gone." I told him "Not yet." He nodded sagely.

Weena "permitted" me to shower, told me to leave my arm "open to the air" for a few hours and started fussing in the kitchen. I was on my third cup of coffee when Rob came in and said "I think there are a few calls you might want to return."

"Oh?"

"Someone named Kevin in the ACT, your mum, Maggie in the Alice, a reporter from the West Australian who claims to know you, a woman called Willy, and Perkins. Oh, and Charlie and Chaz. All the rest can wait, I think — or be totally ignored."